Out here in the desert, Old Man Winter is a little younger and less bitter than up north but he does affect our ability to do certain household task. Once the daytime highs drop below 50 degrees the ability to paint or use concrete based products go on hold until spring. Whether its the day time highs of 45 degrees or the seasonal decorations its important to get these chores done in the month of November.
The exterior wood on your home took a beating this summer. The last 6 months of 100 degree days was a unrelenting attack on your wood surfaces and its only defense was a coat of paint. Wood unlike stucco or brick is more susceptible to the heating and cooling cycles of the desert. The expansion and contraction of the wood makes combined with the drying out from the sun, makes the paint on your fascia and trim brittle. Which in turn causes it to flake off and expose the raw wood underneath. That is why its important to paint or seal your exterior wood every 2-3 years to keep it fresh. The cost to replace a fascia or patio far out weighs the cost of a fresh coat of paint, especially if you have a tile roof. (You have to remove the tiles to get to the wood…yikes). One thing to consider is moving from a flat paint to a exterior satin for wood, it looks neat and gives you a better moisture barrier.
Holes in stucco are not only unsightly they are the keyhole to countless expensive repairs. A single hole in your stucco can let water into the walls of your home leading to stucco and drywall failure, wood rot, mold and many other problems. So needless to say you’ll want to get that fixed and you’ll want it to last. And if the hole is bigger than a golf ball you’ll want to use a concrete based stucco patch which is how this problem fits into this article. Concrete based patching is the best long term solution for patching stucco but only if it properly adheres to the surface of your home. Low temperatures in the winter can inhibit this adhesion causing cracks between the existing surface and the patch. These cracks invite water intrusion which will cause the patch to fail in a short period of time and force you to get repaired again.
And last but not least the in-laws are coming over for the holidays and you’ve spent days hanging your 10,000 Italian twinkling lights all over your house. But the canvas that is your house hasn’t been painted in the last ten years and the faded surface looks horrible. So while your home looks spectacular at night, its not very appealing during the day. That is why you want to get your house painted prior to the holiday season. Not only will it garner compliments from all the relatives and carolers coming by, its the best time of year to negotiate with your neighborhood contractor. The winter tends to be a slow season and hence its a buyers market.
Hope all the pre-winter tips help out and make sure to keep your eyes out for the elusive snow flake that falls every few years.
